NY Times' 10 TV Stunts to Remember - Warren Berger [December 21, 1997]

Entertainment: TV

*** By WARREN BERGER - NY Times (December 21, 1997) *** 10 Stunts To Remember *** 'E.R.': Live. (Big rating numbers, bad reviews.) *** 'Seinfeld': Backward. (Lots of up-front hype, but post-show buzz didn't approach Soup Nazi levels.) *** 'Third Rock From the Sun': 3-D. (Bumped ratings up, didn't annoy viewers too much.) *** ABC's 3-D Week. (Nobody wanted that much 3-D.) *** 'Ellen': Coming out. (Mega-hit. Enough said.) *** 'Chicago Hope': Musical. (Ratings up, generally well executed.) *** NBC's Full Monday. (Few understood -- or cared -- what this theme-night promotion was about.) *** 'Murphy Brown': Breast cancer. (A noble cause does not an effective gimmick make.) *** 'George and Leo': Cast of 'Newhart' and 'The Bob Newhart Show' reunion. (A ratings boost and a warm nostalgia bath.) *** 'The Drew Carey Show': 'Rocky Horror Picture Show.' (Good ratings. And back last spring, big dance numbers still seemed like a novelty.) -------- Missing: -------- * Chicago Hope * Third Rock From the Sun